Gaskets are well known for use as a replaceable member for sealing areas and passageways between two juxtaposed members. Graphite is commonly used as a gasket material because of its good sealing qualities, low porosity (.about.10.sup.-6 Darcys), high chemical resistance and thermal stability.
One problem with the use of graphite as a gasket material is its natural lubricity or low coefficient of friction (initially 0.5 to 0.2 at compression between two 63 AARH steel members). The low coefficient of friction is particularly troublesome when one of the members to be sealed by the gasket has a smooth micro-surface finish, such as glass. For example, a gasket is needed for mounting a reflex or transparent glass member to a metal member for closing a liquid chamber in a liquid level gauge or sight flow indicator. Graphite is highly desirable as a gasket material in these gauges and indicators for its qualities identified above. However, the low coefficient of friction reduces its desirability, because the gasket undesirably moves during assembly, tends to creep under compression, and extrudes under hydrostatic pressure.
Therefore, a need exists for a gasket with sufficient sealing and thermal qualities yet with a sufficiently high coefficient of friction to be used with a member with a smooth micro-surface finish, such as glass.